The best walks and hikes around Médis

The Riveau de Vallières (or Riveau de Boube) is a small stream that: • marks the border between Royan and Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, • serves as a natural outlet for the waters of the Boube and Belmont marshes, • flows into the Grande Conche beach after a section has been channeled. Today, some sections of the stream are buried or channeled due to urbanization.

The Jardin du Parc and Riveau de Vallières is located in the Parc district of Royan (Charente-Maritime), bordering Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. It is both a small urban park and a natural area crossed by a stream called the Rive au. Origin and History Originally, this area was occupied by a large dune system behind the Grande Conche beach. From the 18th century onwards, these dunes were planted with vegetation and landscaped to stabilize the coastline and create a promenade. In 1886, a true leisure park was inaugurated: it included a restaurant, a pastry shop, a bandstand, games, and an open-air theater. At that time, a tramway connected the center of Royan to the park for visitors and vacationers. The Park Today The public garden includes: - a children's playground, a mini-golf course, - a Basque pelota court, - walking paths in a wooded area. The site is also designated a biodiversity refuge by the League for the Protection of Birds (nesting boxes, ecological management of the areas). Originally, this area was occupied by a large dune system behind the Grande Conche beach. From the 18th century onwards, these dunes were planted with vegetation and landscaped to stabilize the coastline and create a walking area. In 1886, a true leisure park was inaugurated: it included a restaurant, a pastry shop, a bandstand, games, and an open-air theater. At that time, a tramway connected the center of Royan to the park for visitors and vacationers.

The port of Ribérou is a major heritage site in Saujon, bearing witness to a prosperous maritime past linked to the salt and wine trade. Transformed in the 19th century by ambitious works, it has now been reinvented as a place for living, relaxation, and preserving local history. 🛶 Origins and the Middle Ages The port of Ribérou takes its name from the Latin word ripa ("riverbank") or the Occitan word ribèira ("river"). It is located at the head of the Seudre estuary. It existed as early as the 11th century and became an important river and sea port thanks to its strategic position at the head of the estuary, used particularly for the salt trade—then called "white gold"—a highly sought-after product for preserving food. 🚢 Medieval Period and International Trade With the opening of British markets during the reigns of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II Plantagenet, ships laden with wool, salt, wine, and other goods flocked to Ribérou. In the 16th century, the port exported local wines (such as cognac and pineau) throughout Europe. In 1577, during the Wars of Religion, the port was a strategic site: troops were stationed there, and battles took place. 🏗️ Decline, Reconstruction, and the 19th Century The estuary gradually silted up, making navigation difficult. By 1691, only smaller vessels could dock there. During the French Revolution, the sale of the tidal mill, which helped remove sediment, worsened the silting, leading to the port's decline. A modernization project began in 1822, but it wasn't until 1839 that an ambitious program was launched under the impetus of Jules Dufaure—a native of Saujon and Minister of Public Works—with the construction of sturdy quays, slipways, a lock bridge (marking the boundary between fresh and salt water), and reception facilities. In 1842, the work was completed, and the main quay was named Quai Dufaure in honor of this political support. 📉 Gradual Decline and Modernization The arrival of the railway in 1876 and the persistent problems of silting led to a decline in the port's traditional commercial activity, already facing competition from other transport networks. In the 20th century, the port gradually lost its economic importance but remained active for traditional fishing and became a place for pleasure boating, leisure, and local culture. Urban and tourism development projects (particularly in 2011–2012) modernized the port while preserving its historical charm. 🌊 Today The port of Ribérou is now a small fishing and pleasure port, much appreciated for its walks along the Seudre River, water sports (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc.), and seasonal events.

🪩 The Louis Mérit and Roger Mauret Pétanque Court The Saujon pétanque court, officially named the Louis Mérit and Roger Mauret Pétanque Court, is a municipal facility located on the Voie de la Taillée in Saujon. It consists primarily of a pétanque court with a stabilized/cinder surface, suitable for both pétanque and jeu provençal. 📅 Origins and Development There is no precise official date published by the town hall or readily accessible online local archives, but sports directories indicate that this facility could date from 1965–1974 (estimate based on local data for referenced sports facilities). → This suggests that the courts were already in place in the second half of the 20th century, corresponding to a period when pétanque clubs were becoming more structured in France and dedicated municipal facilities were often created. 🏆 Activity and Functions Over Time The pétanque court hosts local pétanque competitions and events, including competitions open to the public such as those organized as part of community events (for example, a "Pink October" competition in October 2025). It is used by individual players, recreational groups, and the local pétanque club (Pétanque Saujon-Vaux), which organizes official FFPJP competitions—including departmental qualifiers and championships—at its facilities in Saujon and Vaux-sur-Mer. 🏅 Name and Local Recognition The naming of the court after Louis Mérit and Roger Mauret suggests that these two individuals likely made a significant contribution to pétanque or community life in Saujon (such names often honor active members of the local sports community), but online sources do not provide detailed biographies of these individuals. → More detailed information can be obtained by consulting the municipal archives, local association newsletters, or by contacting the Saujon town hall. 🏡 Position in local life The pétanque court is part of the traditional outdoor sports landscape in Saujon, alongside other municipal facilities (stadium, swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.), and testifies to the deep roots of pétanque in local culture for several decades.

🏊‍♂️ Origins and Opening The Saujon swimming pool, now known as Espace Aquatique de la Lande, opened on June 22, 1995. It will therefore celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025, with festive events planned to mark the occasion. ⚙️ Community Management For approximately 30 years, the facility was managed by a Single-Purpose Intermunicipal Syndicate (SIVU), bringing together several municipalities in the local area (including Saujon, Balanzac, Corme-Écluse, L’Éguille-sur-Seudre, etc.). This structure facilitated access to swimming, aquatic activities, and swimming lessons for local residents. 📉 End of the Syndicate and Transfer In 2025, the SIVU was dissolved, marking a new chapter in the swimming pool's history. The financial review and preparations for the transfer were completed at the last delegates' meeting. As of July 1, 2025, the management and responsibility for the swimming pool have been transferred to the Royan Atlantique Agglomeration Community (CARA) as part of a community swimming pool plan aimed at pooling resources, harmonizing services, and preparing for the facility's renovation. 🧠 Role and Local Impact The facility is considered a key leisure and aquatic sports venue for Saujon and the surrounding towns, attracting more than 80,000 visitors annually and offering a variety of activities such as swimming, aquagym, aquabiking, and sessions adapted for people with disabilities. 🛠️ Future Prospects As part of the CARA swimming pool plan, the Saujon swimming pool is slated for future renovation and is expected to be integrated into a larger network of aquatic facilities including other towns (such as Royan, Étaules, and Cozes). 📍 Current Features The aquatic center currently includes: A 25-meter indoor pool with a gradual depth, A paddling pool and outdoor pools with water slides (seasonal), Indoor and outdoor swimming slots depending on the time of year.

the eel pass

The flushing lock is located at the head of the port, between the north bank's embankment and the south bank's quay. A retention basin, occupying the non-navigable Seudre riverbed as far as Saujon, follows the flushing lock. Within the retention basin, rubble stone embankments extend the lock's return walls for a few meters. The lock itself forms a bridge carrying a road. The lock bridge consists of two piers, forming three arches, each housing two gates. On the upstream side of the lock, the piers have semicircular cutwaters. The three bands are stacked and terminate in clamps. The lock ends with a cornice resting on modillions. The cornice follows the shape of the cutwaters. A metal balustrade, also semicircular in shape, is fixed to the top of the lock. This balustrade is framed by two stone moldings. The sluice gate and its upstream and downstream return walls are constructed of dressed stone. The masonry is of medium and regular quality, except for the coping of the return walls, which features large and regular masonry. The upstream north return wall is lower than the one on the south bank. A small parapet of recently constructed white rubble masonry surmounts it. The sluice gate is equipped with metal gates, the modern racks of which are visible. The first sluice gate was built around 1825 on the site of a former tidal mill. During the works carried out between 1839 and 1842, the sluice gate's embankment was modified to allow the passage of vehicles. Between 1847 and 1853, the lock was enlarged to allow for larger flushes, and the reservoir was excavated. Return walls were also built to connect the flushing lock to the riprap. It was then restored in 1865 and completely rebuilt between 1868 and 1869. The lock is 10.50 m wide, and its gates are each 1.50 m wide. The reservoir is 700 m long and has an average width of 30 m.

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is located in the Parc district, a neighborhood that had been developing well before the war. In response to the wishes of the residents of the Parc residential neighborhood, which had been developing along the Grande Conche River, the Church of Our Lady of the Park was built in the 1950s by architects Jean Bauhain, René Baraton, and Marc Hébrard. Largely inspired by the principles of modern architecture, particularly the buildings of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (Saint Francis of Assisi in Belo Horizonte), the building nevertheless remains traditional in its exterior appearance (harmonic façade), its interior space (a single nave punctuated by six parabolic arches without supporting posts, side chapels), and its decoration (use of stained glass and earthenware tiles). The materials used reflect this blend of tradition and modernity, combining concrete, which was used to create the parabolic arches, and cut stone, which was used for the building's base and the construction of the bell tower. The building's simple plan corresponds to the original program, and the opening created in the choir to increase summer capacity is an ingenious solution to meet the needs of this type of building located in a seaside town. The decoration is elaborate and utilizes various materials, such as stained glass and Gien earthenware in the exterior tympanum. The exterior wall cladding itself features an interesting texture, adorned with sinuous, wave-like lines that create subtle lighting effects. To realize the decorative program, the architects enlisted the help of numerous artists close to Maurice Denis's school of sacred art: the painters Maurice Rocher and André Trébuchet, as well as the master glassmaker Jean Barillet. Of particular note: the remarkable façade, which features an imposing ceramic decoration depicting the Virgin in Majesty, and the modern stained-glass windows designed by the expressionist painter Maurice Rocher. This building is all the more interesting because it is a concrete embodiment of the project the architects had envisioned for the Notre-Dame de Royan church and thus echoes this flagship monument of Royan's construction, making its protection and conservation judicious. It is the second church of the Reconstruction of Royan. The Eglise du Parc is certainly less impressive than the Notre-Dame Church in the center of Royan, a true symbol of the city's modernist reconstruction, but it does not leave one indifferent.